Mountain Mom and Tots

Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort, Orderville, Utah

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Every year my little family of four meets up with aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents for an awesome family reunion. This year, the location was Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort, just five minutes outside the East entrance to Zion National Park.

Lodging at Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort ranges from camping locations and small private cabins to large vacation homes, like the Moose Lodge which easily slept our group of 42. The industrial kitchen was perfect for our large group, but for those of you less inclined to cook your own food while on vacation, a restaurant is available at the lodge.

What was most fun about staying at Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort was participating in their Adventure Package. Big E loved the bungee trampoline, miniature golf, and swimming in the pool (complete with two slides and two hottubs). I loved the zip line and the barn dance.

But the real winner of the trip was Mountain Dad who spent as much free time as possible driving this Polaris Ranger Utility vehicle. It’s like a four wheeler that can seat the kids comfortably in back, while riding up gnarly rock trails to beautiful vistas.

Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort was a great gathering place near Zion National Park. My one complaint was that they do not have recycling facilities. Zion National Park supports going green so much, it no longer sells bottles of water to prevent waste, but Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort didn’t have even the basic recycling facilities available. I hope that changes soon.

If you’re looking for a fun getaway spot near Zion National Park, make sure to check out this one!

Secret Swim Spot, Zion National Park, Utah

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The coolest hike in Zion National Park won’t be found on any map or brochure. It’s a secret spot, that we scouted out like treasure seekers on a hunt. And we hit the jackpot.

Thanks to a tip from the book Day Trips with a Splash: Swimming Holes of the Southwest by Pancho Doll, we knew there was a short hike that led to a waterfall with a natural water slide. The trick was to find it.

We started out on the side of the road, where we could hear water flowing but couldn’t see anything. Following the desert brush trail until the trees grew larger, we soon found the source of the sound, a rocky stream.

We followed the stream for less than half a mile, carrying the tots over ever larger boulders, waiting for a glimpse of the elusive water fall. We weren’t sure the place existed but after scrambling and hiking about thirty minutes we found a wider section of the stream with water deep enough for jumping. Awesome!

I would’ve been content there, but Mountain Dad decided to scramble over the rock wall to find the elusive natural water slide. I’m so glad he did.

The rock scrambling was rewarded with a beautiful red rock cove. The water cascaded from above, pooled three to four feet at the deepest and trickled down to the rocks below. We all enjoyed sliding down the mossy slope into the cool water below, and feeling the sand squish between our toes. It was the perfect place to play on a hot summer day.

Trail Info:

Difficulty: Difficult, but worth it

Length: 1 mile round trip

Tips: More adults than children make the rock scrambling easier.

Pa’rus Trail, Zion National Park, Utah

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Although I’m not as crazy as my father, who is planning a cross country road bike adventure next summer, I enjoy a good bike ride now and again. And what better place to ride than in beautiful Zion National Park?

Mountain Dad and I started out on the Pa’rus Trail at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and enjoyed the scenic views of the Virgin River from the paved path along its bank. No motorized traffic is allowed on Pa’rus trail, so apart from some passing dog walkers, we had the place to ourselves. The trail is three and a half miles long, which makes for a quick bike ride, so when we got to the end we decided to continue on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, the main road of the park.

Surrounded by towering rock formations while feeling the wheels turn beneath me was a refreshing experience. It was great biking at this time of year as well, thanks to the shuttle service. You must pull over to let shuttle vehicles pass, but since the shuttle is one of the only vehicles on the road I felt very safe riding here.

Here, at the Court of the Patriarchs, I enjoyed the view and the weather. It was a great trip and I’d definitely do it again.

Pa’rus Trail Biking

Distance: 3.5 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Tips: For the easiest ride, put your bike on the shuttle bus and get off at the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop. That way you can ride your bike down hill the whole way on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive.

Virgin River Swimming Hole, Zion National Park, Utah

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Zion National Park is known for its hiking and scenery, but it should also be known for having great swimming spots. The shallow and rocky Virgin River is only swimmable at some points, but conveniently this little swim spot was right by the Canyon Junction shuttle stop.

The ruins of an old diversion dam is what gives this area its special appeal. Now, we hadn’t planned on swimming and did not come prepared, but the weather was so hot, I didn’t mind getting my clothes wet.

The shallow section above this waterfall was calm enough for little g to splash in on her own, but my favorite part was playing in the pools below. We slid very slowly, thanks to the rough surface of the rock, into the three to four foot water below. With the tots, we stayed to the right, away from the small white water section.

Along the banks of the river we found tiny desert toads and wriggled our toes in the cool sand. On a hot summer day in Zion National Park, this Virgin River Swimming Hole could not be beat!

Virgin River Swimming Hole Info:

Location: At the Canyon Junction Shuttle stop, follow river access signs on the west side of the road.

Difficulty: Moderate. The water above is calm, but little ones should be watched carefully to avoid the rough section to the left. The water below the waterfall averaged three to four feet deep.

Tips: Bring a towel and a swimsuit. We hadn’t planned on swimming and did not have our suits, but the water felt so good, it was worth it.

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